ComCom proposes extending Chorus regulatory period
In this edition:
- Five-year fibre regulation on the table
- Industry calls for connectivity strategy
- Spark fights impersonators
- One NZ tops benchmark table
Next fibre price-quality regulation to run for five years
A Commerce Commission draft decision paper makes a case for extending Chorus’ fibre price-quality regulatory period from four to five years. The paper says the fibre market is now mature enough to support a longer planning period.
A five-year cycle would bring fibre regulation into line with the Commerce Commission’s regulatory periods for electricity distribution, gas pipelines and Transpower.
The current price-quality path is the second four-year cycle. Under the draft decision, Chorus’ third price-quality path would run from January 1, 2029 to December 31, 2033.
Incentive to improve efficiency
A longer regulatory period would give Chorus greater incentive to improve efficiency and reduce costs while maintaining service quality. It would also provide more certainty for planning investments and would reduce the fibre company’s regulatory compliance costs.
The draft paper warns that a longer period increases the risk of forecasting errors. Yet it argues that existing regulations should be enough to manage those risks.
From the Commerce Commission’s perspective New Zealand’s fibre coverage is now essentially complete. Connection growth has stabilised and Chorus’ demand and costs are now more predictable. The fibre sector is now entering a more stable phase.
Submissions close on June 12, with a final determination expected in June or July
TCF seeks critical infrastructure recognition
A pre-election briefing paper from the New Zealand Telecommunications Forum calls on the next government to develop a clear national connectivity strategy.
The TCF wants the incoming government to signal long-term priorities for connectivity, especially in rural areas. It says this will encourage investment and help networks keep pace with demand, technology change and resilience expectations.
It warns that the market is not able to deliver universal connectivity, resilience and digital inclusion on its own. This requires public-private partnerships similar to UFB and the Rural Broadband Initiative. Partnerships are particularly important when dealing with remote areas, resilience upgrades and digitally excluded households.
While the industry is wary of regulation, it recognises there’s a role when it comes to genuine market failure. The TCF worries regulation could force investment in outdated technologies and infrastructure.
Throughout the document there is an underlying theme that the industry has delivered on the big infrastructure builds and that phase is now behind us. The challenge for the near future is not building networks, but getting government support for greater resilience, rural coverage and digital inclusion.
Spark system helps users spot scam calls
A new Verified Call feature aims to help mobile users identify genuine incoming calls from Spark. Instead of showing just a phone number, the feature can show the caller’s name, logo and a verification badge, along with a note explaining what the call is about.
Verified call is designed to make it harder for scammers to impersonate Spark staff and trick people into sharing personal or financial information.
One NZ tops independent benchmark test
Umlaut’s annual mobile benchmarking has named One NZ as the nation’s top performing network for the fifth year in a row. The benchmark compares mobile network operators for voice, data, reliability and overall experience. It found One NZ ranked first in each category.
One NZ says the result reflects continued investment in network upgrades, capacity and coverage across the country. It also follows the shutdown of its legacy 2G and 3G services, which has allowed more spectrum to be used for 4G and 5G services.
In other news...
- Researchers unlock record 450 Tbps capacity from standard fibre already in the ground — Japanese National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
Shows the untapped bandwidth potential of today’s fibre networks. - Satellite company behind the mystery Auckland domes — NZ Herald (paywall)
Ground infrastructure needed to make modern satellite broadband work.
Antony Royal to step down at Tū Ātea
Founding Tū Ātea chief executive Antony Royal is to step down when his contract ends in August 2026 after six years in the role.
The Māori-owned telecommunications and infrastructure group says it is moving into a commercial chapter as it expands network services, spectrum-led projects and acquisitions.
Royal has been central to Māori spectrum negotiations for more than two decades, including work on the 3G and 5G spectrum frameworks and the creation of Tū Ātea’s operating model. The board is recruiting a successor to lead the next phase of growth in infrastructure and network services.
Read more about a major Tū Ātea commercial 5G project:
Bill Bennett
Spark IoT detecting Far North wildfires
Spark, the Far North District Council and Dryad have built an ultra-early wildfire detection system at the Waitangi Endowment Forest and bike park. It uses about 250 solar-powered IoT sensors. The sensors detect smoke signatures and use Spark's connectivity, combined with Adroit's monitoring system, to alert authorities.
Survey suggests business has moved on from Covid
A new 2degrees survey suggests New Zealand businesses have moved beyond the Covid-era focus on resilience and adaptation. Instead, companies are concentrating on growth, productivity and future opportunities.
The findings are notable for what they do not highlight. Connectivity and remote working, once dominant business concerns, appear to have faded into the background. That suggests digital tools and telecommunications services are now viewed as routine business infrastructure rather than strategic priorities.
This time last year an Australian warship disrupted wireless networks
A visiting Australian warship took a number of fixed wireless broadband access points offline as it passed the Taranaki coast.
Five years ago Starlink began a beta service
Starlink emerged as a viable option for users beyond the UFB fibre footprint and laid down a challenge:
Competition could give Vodafone and Spark a kick, forcing them to improve poor-performing RBI services. Or they may pass.
Ten years ago Vodafone planned a $3.5 billion merger with Sky
Convergence was the buzzword of the year as Vodafone (now One New Zealand) announced a plan to merge with Sky TV. Eventually the Commerce Commission stopped the merger from completing.
Analysts say the merger mirrors the US ‘triple play’ model, combining TV, phone, and internet services, but New Zealand’s open-access networks limit full vertical integration.
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